1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus, a casting channel, and a method for tilt-casting of components made of light metal, as well as components cast with it.
2. The Prior Art
In the tilt-casting method, which is described very generally in the standard work “Gieβereilexikon” [Foundry Lexicon], 16th edition, 1994, p. 244 and p. 655, a coquille is rotated about a tilt axis by up to 90°, while the melt flows into the coquille. It is advantageous that in this way, the coquille can be filled with the melt without flow turbulences. It is particularly advantageous, in this connection, that the splashing melt that might occur during casting can be avoided, by means of guiding the melt along a wall of the casting mold.
A method for casting components made of light metal, particularly of aluminum alloys, in accordance with the tilt-casting principle, as well as a corresponding apparatus for carrying out such a method, are known from DE 10 2004 015 649 B3. In this method, the melt is filled into a transverse run situated on the longitudinal side of a casting mold, using head-casting. In this connection, the casting mold is first tilted about its longitudinal axis by an angle of 45° to 70°. Afterward, filling the liquid melt into the transverse run starts, until about ⅕ of the melt required for casting of the component has been filled into the transverse run, without the melt already flowing into the mold cavity of the casting mold. Subsequently, the casting mold is rotated out of the tilted position into the vertical, while continuously filling in further melt, in such a manner that the melt flows into the mold cavity along a casting mold wall.
A disadvantage of the method disclosed in DE 10 2004 015 649 B3 consists in that the melt is at first only partly filled into the transverse run, before pouring of the melt into the coquille starts. In this connection, the risk can exist that temperature losses occur. It is furthermore disadvantageous that the remaining melt required for the casting process must be filled in continuously during tilt-casting, and therefore must be refilled into a casting pool of the transverse run, in very complicated manner, by means of a casting ladle. The casting ladle must therefore be guided along synchronously with the tilting of the casting mold, and is not available for any other or further casting process during this time.
As a result of the tilting of the casting mold, the melt flow in the transverse run is deflected by 90°, and then flows into the casting mold through multiple outlets. In this connection, there is the risk, particularly as the result of continuous refilling of the melt by means of a casting ladle, that the melt can flow through the individual outlets and into the casting mold in non-uniform manner, particularly too rapidly or too slowly, in too small or too great an amount.